The Darkest Places
by Ethereal Wishes
Summary: Belle leaves Storybrooke with Rumple's blessing to live the life she's always wanted. She returns to find that Storybrooke has been ransacked by the Dark Ones, and she fears for the worst but is there a chance her lover might still be alive?


**The Darkest Places**

 **A/AN: I'm not sure what provoked me to write this, but I partially used Foreveradearie's prompt on tumblr to concoct this. This story includes mentions of major character death and mild gore so if that isn't your thing then turn back now! Reviews are lovely!**

She stopped the Cadillac in the middle of the road staring at the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign in the distance. She wasn't sure if she'd ever return to this place since her former Dark One husband had gifted her with a potion and sent her over the town line with his blessing to go off and see the world. During that time she'd had plenty of time to clear her head after traveling across forty-eight states. All of that pondering had brought her right back to Storybrooke accompanied by a light shade of blond on her hair and green contacts in her eyes. It didn't matter how much Belle Gold tried to change her outward appearance, she was still the same woman on the inside. She wondered what Rumplestiltskin would think of her lighter and shorter hair opposed to the long dark chestnut tresses she usually sported. She wanted him to know she was different but perhaps he was too. What kind of man awaited her beyond that sign, or did any man await her at all? Panic gripped her chest once she realized he may not be alive or that he may have succumbed to the darkness once again.

It took all of her strength not to turn the car around and put a thousand miles between herself and this place forever. She sucked in a deep breath as she placed her foot lightly on the gas pedal, driving back into the place she swore to forget. Everything looked exactly the same but when she drove into the city limits, things changed drastically. The clock tower above the library she used to work at now littered the streets with debris.

Belle drove a little further into town noticing more street signs hanging from partially damaged buildings. She parked the Cadillac beside Mr. Gold's pawnshop. The shop sign hung precariously from one hinge, threatening to fall at any moment. Her insides cramped at the sight of such devastation as she felt her heart wrench with hopelessness. It was apparent that Storybrooke was probably deserted and that something horrendous had happened here.

She stepped cautiously out of the vehicle, the faint stench of death lingering in the air. She clenched her eyes shut making her way to the shop, praying it would give her some answers. She jiggled the handle and the door opened effortlessly. The lock had been broken, and the door handle on the opposite side was hanging loosely.

She scanned the shop, assessing the damaged glass cases and the shards of smashed antiques that littered the floor. She stepped around broken glass, her heart thrumming loudly in her ears when she saw it. She reached down to pick up the gold handled cane, tears prickling behind her eyes as his face appeared in her mind. She dispelled those distressing images as she tried to piece together any clues of this adverse destruction.

After frantically searching the shop for over an hour, Belle was no closer to unraveling this peculiar mystery. She pulled timorously at her blond locks ready to collapse in a heap on the floor when she noticed a crumpled piece of paper lying beside a broken glass case she hadn't noticed before. She almost dismissed it but something inside her persistently told her to pick it up. She bent down and quickly snatched up the parchment, carefully smoothing out the crinkled edges. There was a small note written inside. She would've recognized that handwriting from anywhere. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes from the tears that threatened to fall as she read.

 _Dear Belle,_

 _If there's any chance that you've returned and gotten this, I urge you to leave town immediately. Hook has released all of the former Dark Ones from the Underworld, and I suspect there will be no survivors. I sent you away to give you your best chance. Please know that I'll always love you no matter what._

 _With all my love,_

 _Rumple_

Belle held the note to her chest, tears falling in rivulets from her eyes. She leaned against the door frame crying herself empty. Once she was able to compose herself, she noticed that dawn was quickly slipping away leaving only shadows in its wake. Storybrooke was beginning to look a scene from a horror movie, and Belle decided that she didn't want to do anymore investigating for the night. She got back in the Cadillac and drove far away from town until she reached the dense forest. She turned on her headlights and drove down the curvy dirt road towards the first destination that came to mind. The sun hung low over the tress as she made her way towards the cabin, astonished it was still standing. She fished for the silver key inside her purse, plucking it from its compartment. She stuck the key in the lock and turned it, pushing the door open.

She flipped on the switch but wasn't surprised when the electricity didn't work. The quickly diminishing sunlight filtered through the windows biding her enough time to round up some candles and a box of matches she found in a drawer. She lit the candles and placed them around the room. The candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls filling her with consternation. Belle made her way back to the Cadillac, grabbing a few of her suitcases, bringing them into the cabin.

She dropped the suitcases on the floor, focusing on the flickering candlelight. She plopped down on the couch while allowing her mind to linger on the words he'd spoken to her all of those months ago. He'd told her to go see the world and to have the adventures she'd always dreamed of so that's what she did. It didn't matter where she went because she knew where her heart belonged but was it already to late? Belle felt herself slowly drifting off unaware of the pair of eyes watching her through the window.

~X~

Sunlight flooded the cabin rousing her from sleep. She stretched and opened her eyes startled to see a man of short stature wielding a machete. Belle sat up quickly, holding her hands up in surrender at the man who's maddening gaze was boring into her. The man had a wooly gray beard with blood shot eyes, and he stank of alcohol and strong body odor.

"You shouldn't have ever come back sister!" the dwarf grinned menacingly at her. "Leroy?" she questioned wondering if it was really him.

"They took everything...Those Dark Ones...They marked all of my brothers and the rest of the town before sacrificing them like filthy vermin, but YOU! YOU got away!" he emphasized by waggling a dirty finger in her face.

"Leroy I had no idea...Rumple told me to leave...He never told me about any of this..." she replied apprehensively, hoping she didn't provoke him.

He threw his head back laughing manically, " His heart was to pure! They didn't want a dark one reject! They marked everyone, and the moment the moon rose to its highest peak, they started dropping like flies. The Dark Ones came to snuff out the light until Emma killed Hook and sacrificed herself for the few of us that remained but it didn't really matter anymore. Once she died, everyone turned on each other. It became survival of the fittest and unfortunately some of us weren't very fit." he remarked cryptically, narrowing his gaze at her.

"Leroy I'm sorry for what happened but please don't hurt me." she pleaded, shielding her face with her arm.

"I'm not here to kill you. I'm here for your car. The only way out of this hell hole is to leave in something that has been over the town line. Now give me your keys before I decide to hack you to pieces with my blade!" he threatened with his menacing gaze.

"Of course! Here take them!" Belle respired sharply, pulling them out of her back pocket, and pitching them to him.

Leroy grinned snidely, catching them in his hand, "Good luck sister! You're going to need it if you expect to survive in this place. There are others who wouldn't think twice about killing you. You better arm yourself, or you'll be just another rotting corpse scattered along this forsaken terrain."

The dwarf's words sent a chill down her spin as she watched him leave. She heard the sound of the engine rev to life and tires spin in the driveway until they grew fainter and fainter. She shivered, pulling her coat firmly around her shoulders before going to stand by the doorway. She looked out over the horizon at the rising sun that splayed a spectrum of color across the sky but it didn't console her. If the few who still dwelt here were a testament to Grumpy's transformation, then she knew that no friend remained.

After spending three days isolated in the woods, Belle decided that if she was going to survive that she needed to locate some magic. She knew that most of the townsfolk would have no idea what to do with any enchanted objects they might find, and she needed to get her hands on some fast. Going back to town was futile. She knew that her husband's shop was out of the question because the place had been ransacked and nothing of any value remained.

There was one place that might hold some salvation for her, but she knew that it was a long shot to even hope for it. A thought had came to her earlier during the night about the magic bean fields Ruby had once told her about. The fields resided on the edge of town, and she remembered that Regina had once burned them down, but was there a chance even one bean might remain? She had to try. She'd found a Glock stored securely in a safe that she and Rumple only knew the combination to. She was surprised the cabin hadn't been overrun by civilians because everything had been left untouched. She stored the gun in a holster under her red blouse.

Belle knew that she was taking a chance on leaving the safety of the cabin, but she needed answers. She couldn't ever leave town, so she had to find another way even if it meant never returning to this realm. She'd made peace with the fact that her beloved was already dead so there was no use in staying in Storybrooke. The only chance she had for survival was to return to the Enchanted Forest. She would go back to _his_ castle and live out the rest of her days in solitude.

She tried to imagine what he might say to her if he was here but thinking of her beloved's face brought tears to her eyes. If she was going to succeed with her plan, then she couldn't think of him. She hardened her resolve as she made her way out of the cabin that morning. She was dressed in a pair of jeans, one of his red button downs and a pair of jeans. She'd found a brown cardigan in the closet and a pair of hiking boots she didn't remember purchasing to help weather the vast terrain of Storybrooke.

Belle walked about five miles until the stench assaulted her nostrils. She gagged, placing her hand over her mouth when she noticed it up ahead. She walked on, staring horrified at the lifeless corpse. Stringy ginger hair splayed behind the once brave huntress named Merida. Belle averted her gaze while pinching her nose tightly as she passed by. She didn't bother looking back at the woman she'd previously shared an adventure with. She couldn't become distracted with her venture. She needed to locate the bean fields and get back before dark if she didn't find anything.

The rest of her hike was relatively quiet and for that she was thankful. The bean fields weren't as difficult to locate las she first thought. She wasn't sure what she expected to find there but as she got closer it appeared to be nothing but dry stalks. She sighed dejectedly as she walked aimlessly through the fields until she noticed something peculiar. A single red rose jutted from the earth like a dash of color strewn across a blank canvas. It reminded her of the rose Rumple had given her during her stay at the Dark Castle. She bent down to caress its soft petals, but the moment she did it transformed into an opaque bean.

"A magic bean...but how?" she wondered aloud, picking it up and running her fingers over its smooth edges. Her mind transferred to Rumplestiltskin and a small smile spread across her face when she realized it was placed here purposely for her. He knew that if she came to the fields that she would discover the rose, so he'd planted the bean here in hopes she'd find it.

"Please be alive Rumple..." she prayed before throwing the bean across the field. A swirling green vortex of light appeared. She took a deep breath repeating the familiar mantra in her head, _"Do the brave thing and bravery will follow"_ and without a second thought she jumped into the swirling pool of light.

~X~

When she awoke, Belle found herself lying on the cold stone floor. She groaned in pain when she tried to arise from her awkward position. She stretched out her limbs once she reverted herself to a sitting position. She gazed down at her foreign attire. She was wearing a muslin blue peasant dress with puffed sleeves. She pulled on her thick tresses, revealing the dark color she'd tried so hard to erase. She supposed some things didn't transfer with portal jumping. The woman she'd tried to forget in the old world was still alive here. She stood up, cracking her bones in response. She scanned the room, smiling once she realized she was in the right place. Bookshelves lined the walls with hundreds of tomes left unread but there would be time for that. There would be time for everything. She dashed out of the library and towards the room she hoped to find him in.

She bolted up the stairs, her lungs screaming for air once she reached the top. She stalled outside of the large wooden door, pealing her ears for any movement or sound. A brilliant smile bloomed to her lips when she heard the familiar hum of the wheel. She pushed open the wooden door to find him spinning tirelessly. He didn't look up as she sauntered towards him. She wrapped her arms instinctively around his waist and placed her cheek against his throat, nuzzling it affectionately.

"You came back...You found me." he respired and his voice felt so phantom that it was surreal.

"I wasn't going to come back but it wasn't home without you Rumple." she sighed, relishing his earthy scent.

"You found all of the clues...I was afraid you wouldn't. I left the note to warn you but it was before I concealed the bean. I'm so grateful you thought to go to the fields. " he sighed, leaning into her thin frame.

"I guess the fates had other plans...Why did you send me away Rumple?" she inquired sitting down beside him. He sighed deeply, staring into her oceanic depths, "Because I didn't want you to die. When the dark ones came, Emma took all of the darkness inside of her to spare us but many weren't so fortunate. The ones the Dark Ones hadn't already slaughtered tore each other apart. There was no reasoning with them. A few of us fled to the cabin for refuge. Regina placed a protection spell over it, and we all stayed there until we could formulate a plan. It seemed hopeless until Snow White brought up the bean fields. She said Ruby and Tiny had grown back a few of the plants and suspected there might be some left. We found three beans when we got there. Regina, Robin, Snow, Charming, Henry and the rest of the children used the bean, but I stayed behind to leave you a clue. I wanted to stay behind in hopes that you would return, but I wasn't sure that you ever would. I placed the rose there because I knew that you would notice it if you came to the fields. Belle I'm so glad that you're here." he respired before burying his face in her thick tresses, inhaling her scent deeply.

"Me too, and I'll never leave your side for as long as I live." she sighed, holding onto him tightly, and never wanting to let go.

"It's forever dearie." he whispered softly in her ear, conjuring up memories of a life she'd left behind so many years ago.

"Forever my love." she agreed, cradling his face in her hands while staring amorously into his ocher depths. He threaded his fingers through her thick tresses before devouring her mouth with a hungry kiss that held a promise of no more goodbyes.

 **A/AN: Well I'm finally finished with this! I hope everyone enjoyed it and even though it started out gruesome in the beginning, I hope you found the happy ending. Review please!**


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